This invention relates generally to a fabric composite for disposition across an automotive seating frame and relates more particularly to a laminated fabric incorporating elastomeric yarn which has undergone either flame or adhesive lamination so as to be joined to a knit or woven aesthetic cover by means of foam either with or without adhesive.
Traditional seating structures typically are constructed from a frame, a surface fabric for contact with the user, and some type of support member. Typical support members have included springs, webs, straps, or molded units (e.g. thick foam pads). Materials for construction of such support members have been steel, burlap, canvas, plastic and elastomeric strapping and synthetic textile materials.
As will be readily appreciated, the use of a multiplicity of thick separate components (i.e. covers and separate springs or pads) which must be attached to a frame structure gives rise to a relatively complicated assembly practice. The use of such complex structures including automobile seats has been based upon the fact that the user must be provided with good support and a high degree of comfort generally associated with such configurations.
In order to reduce the number of components in seating structures and to reduce the bulk thereof, it has been proposed to provide thin profile seats, including thin seats using elastomer seat backing material. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,251,318 to Blair et al., solid rubber tape or strips reinforced by fabric are stretched over a seating frame. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,614 to Abu-Isa et al., (incorporated by reference) a thin profile seat is disclosed in which a multiplicity of side by side elastomeric filaments made from a block copolymer of polyterramethylene terephthalate polyester and polytetramethylene ether stretched across a vehicle seat frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,554 to Abu-Isa et al. (incorporated by reference) discloses a thin profile seat in which elastomeric filaments like that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,614 are woven together to form a mat. The mat was pre-stretched to at least 5% elongation and attached to the seat frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,089 to Abu-Isa et al. (incorporated by reference) discloses a seat assembly having an elastomeric filament suspension and a fabric cover. The filaments in the fabric cover are integrated by having the elastomeric filaments in the fabric knitted together to provide a low profile finished seat or backrest.
The present invention provides a laminated composite textile structure suitable for use in an automotive seat which incorporates a knitted or woven support structure having elastomeric yarns running in at least one direction which has been joined via a layer of laminated foam with or without an adhesive to an aesthetic surface fabric, thereby providing a unitary structure providing an aesthetic cover and elastomeric support. The resultant composite textile structure exhibits structural integrity under load conditions without delamination. The present invention thus represents a useful advancement over the state of the art.
In light of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a composite textile structure suitable for use in automotive seating applications.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fabric composite of use in an automotive seating structure including an elastomeric support textile joined to an aesthetic cover fabric such as woven or knit automotive fabric by a layer of laminated foam.
It is a feature of the present invention to utilize elastomeric yarns of synthetic material running through the support textile wherein the elastomeric yarns are characterized by an elongation at break of not less than about 70 percent.
It is a more particular feature of the present invention to utilize elastomeric yarns disposed through the support textile wherein the elastomeric yarns are characterized by an elongation at break of not less than about 90 percent.
According to a potentially preferred practice, it is a feature of the present invention that the elastomeric yarn is a bicomponent elastomeric monofilament having a sheath component and a core component wherein the sheath component has a melting point lower than that of the core component, although single component yarns may also be utilized.
According to yet a further potentially preferred practice, the elastomeric monofilament which is utilized is substantially stable with respect to ultraviolet irradiation.
Additional objects and features of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings below.